Waste workers help winner find binned €1m lottery ticket
Waste workers help winner find binned €1m lottery ticket in Italy
- Level
- A2
- Estimated time
- 30–40 minutes
- Reading
- 1 min read
The story
A lottery player in southern Italy accidentally binned a winning ticket after a shop told them the slip was non-payable. The player only realised the mistake when a family member said the numbers they always played had been drawn. The ticket was for €1m and the player and family were shocked.
The ticket was in the bin and collected by a truck from the local refuse company. The player contacted the company and the bin lorry was located before its contents were compacted. If the truck is found quickly, the workers will search before its contents are compacted. They hoped to find the small piece of paper in a mountain of waste.
The search took two days and a waste worker finally found the ticket. Roberto Nicola Toscano, the refuse boss, said, "This story is nothing short of miraculous." The workers cheered when they found one intact ticket in a damaged bag.
The cost of the recovery will be charged to the winner because they had signed a declaration promising to cover search costs. If the winner covers the cost, the company will charge them for the search. As a small lucky end, the workers bought a scratch card and they won €50.
Key vocabulary
- lottery
- A game where people buy tickets to try to win money.
- ticket
- A small piece of paper that can win money in a lottery.
- binned
- Thrown away into a bin or trash.
- waste
- Garbage or things people throw away.
- worker
- A person who has a job, here a waste collector.
- search
- A careful look for something that is lost.
- truck
- A large vehicle that carries waste.
- cost
- The money that someone must pay for something.
Comprehension check
Write your answer, reveal the model answer, then score yourself honestly.
1. Where did the player bin the winning ticket?
2. Who collected the bin with the ticket?
3. How long did the search take?
4. What did Roberto Nicola Toscano say about the story?
5. Who will pay the cost of the recovery?
Grammar focus
First conditional
We use the first conditional to talk about real future possibilities: if + present simple, will + base verb.
- If the truck is found quickly, the workers will search before its contents are compacted.
- If the winner covers the cost, the company will charge them for the search.
Grammar exercise
Complete the sentences with the correct form (first conditional). Use the verb in brackets.
1. If the workers ______ (find) the ticket, they will call. (today)
2. If the truck ______ (locate), they will search. (this week)
3. If the family ______ (realise) the numbers, they will go to the shop. (tomorrow)
4. If the winner ______ (cover) the cost, the company will charge for the search. (next week)
5. If the workers ______ (buy) a card, they will win. (later)
Discussion
For reflection or speaking practice — not graded.
- How would you feel if you found a winning ticket in the rubbish?
- Do you think the company should charge the winner? Why or why not?
- What rules would you put in shops to avoid ticket mistakes?
- Have you ever helped someone search for something important? Tell the class.